Lake Elmo approves concept for another housing development

Published December 29, 2013 at 1:23 pm

This map shows the location of the planned Boulder Ponds of Lake Elmo development. It will be north of Highway 94, east of Eagle Point Business Park and south of Stonegate Park. (Map taken from city council packet)

A new residential development called Boulder Ponds of Lake Elmo is coming to the I-94 corridor between the Eagle Point Business Park and the future Savona development.

The Lake Elmo City Council unanimously approved a concept plan for the development earlier this month.

Amaris, the developer, is a Twin Cities custom green-home builder.

“It’s a local builder out of St. Paul, and the development that Amaris is proposing meets the density and feel that we are looking for when it comes to keeping the feeling of a more rural area,” city spokesperson Alyssa MacLoed said.

MacLoed says the new development is in keeping with the city’s comprehensive plan that has been developed with some guidelines from the Metropolitan Council.

“It’s very important for Lake Elmo that we make sure our developments that we put into our city keep that overall open space character of the city,” MacLoed said.

The new development on 58 acres of land includes 93 single-family homes and one 64-unit multi-family structure. MacLoed said the location is ideal for developers due to the city’s access to high traffic areas like the I-94 corridor and other major thoroughfares. She’s believes she’s seeing a trend in the increase of single-family homes thanks to the area’s accessibility.

The single family homes in the planned development are slated to cost $425,000 to $525,000. Design details are still being worked out when it comes to the size of the residences.

MacLoed said the concept approval paves the way for the developer to get the final ideas in front of council and hopefully break ground in the spring.